the bridge
by The Child Of Darkness
Summary: When the light is gone, and the darkness comes, the best way to make it through it is by believing... but is it really enough? Destinies can't be changed... 'I'm so sorry, Riku...' [Akuroku] [Soriku]
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** Not mine... thanks.

**Author's note:** I'm so sorry!!! I've re-posted this after being edited! and well.. since this is supposed to be my school project... i need to apologize once more for not making this a yaoi! the school teacher's will kill me if I wrote yaoi... and well... I'm so sorry for making the ukes change their sexes!! i'll never forgive myself... but it's necessary for the continuation of the story... please bear with Sora and Roxas being a girl, kay? i'm really really sorry about this! cries

* * *

Standing on the bridge, I watch the glimmering twilight reflected by the water underneath me, lost in thought. A pebble was thrown at the river, causing it to ripple under the stone's pressure, as I stood there watching the water dismally.

_I used to pass this place whenever I walk home with him. _Just thinking about him makes my heart clenched in pain and my blood boils. _How could he?!_I thoughtAn angry growl escaped me as I threw yet again, another pebble with all the strength I have, to the shadowed water beneath me.

Watching the stones sunk in, memories came flooding into my mind slowly---much to my dismay.

_-------_

_"I'm sorry, Sora. I just don't think we're meant to be. I don't think I'm good enough for you." __With a fake tone of apology and regret, he said with a smile._

_'__Oh sure. __You're not good enough for me, tha__t's why you were flirting __around__ with Kairi earlier.__'_

_"I think __it's best for us just to remain__ friends__…" He added, completely ignoring the hurt look I gave him._

_"__It's__ okay, __Tidus__. I __understand.__" __I replied, a much-forced smile on my lips_

_'__What? You__ don't really expect__ me to whine and got mad__, do you__It is__ not __as if__ I want to say it__, anyway. __But what__else am I supposed to do__'_

_"Thanks, Sora. I __knew you would.__" His face lit up and he gave me a quick p__eck on the cheek before he walked__ away nonchalantly._

_If I __had known any better,__ I __c__ould've __sw__orn__that __he__ doesn't __actually __care how I would feel or react. _

_"Yeah, Sure… Anything for you, __Ti__." I found myself__ muttering the words that __I am__too__ familiar __with,__ as __I have__ been chanting the same thing __repeatedly__ ever since __we have__been dating_

_--------_

Going back to the present world, I sighed as I reflected on our relationship_It has__ been 3 months since __I __dated him. I do think that it's long enough for him to decide whether we're meant to be or something like that isn'__t it? But nooo! __It __just__ wasn't __good enough for him. _

With an exasperated sigh, I threw in another pebble. _This is ridiculous_. I watch the pebble as it slowly sunk under the water and faded into the black nothingness.

_Maybe if I…_

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." A velvety voice came from beside me and broke my thoughts_. I thought I was alone?_

A young man stood before me as I turned my head to see the owner of the voice. From his height and appearance, he seems to be older than I am by a year or two, which makes him around seventeen or eighteen.

He looked surprised when my gaze fell on him, and for one fleeting moment, I could swear I saw him mouthing something before his cool façade return to him. _Strange guy_

"What are you saying? I'm not thinking about _jumping_ or anything! I-" Those words escaped my lips before I even got the chance to process it but it was cut short when I heard him chuckled.

He chuckled at my strange demeanor, before smiling softly and averting his gaze towards the dark horizon. We stayed like that in silence and I chose that moment to inspect closely the stranger who had disturbed me out of my thoughts. The first thing I noticed was the color of his eyes; it's like the color of the sea during the summer! It was a mixture of sea green and the softest blue, which glowed under the soft light of the moon. I stood there in awe, never once did my gaze left those strangely beautiful orbs. Suddenly, a gentle midnight breeze swept past us, framing the pale face of this stranger with his silver hair, highlighting those silver tresses with the pale light of the glowing moon, before it swiftly fell back on his shoulder blade gently, just like silk. All the while, said person still stood unwavering while holding his hard gaze towards the water with a mixture of longing and pain painted on those intoxicating orbs.

That was then when I realized that this person was beautiful. Not in the 'pretty-boy' sense, but it's as if he possessed an ethereal beauty; a beauty that resembled a fallen angel who had lost its wings and was bounded by the cruel earth. While I stood there in awe at this eerily beautiful person, a feeling of recognition swept through me.

As I search through my brain in an attempt to remember where I had met him before, he then turned to look at me with a smirk adorning his lips.

"…and when did I ever mention you're thinking about jumping? I believe all I ever said was 'I wouldn't do that if I were you.'"

"…" _…__Shoot!_

He laughed at my panicked expression before he continued in that velvety voice of his again.

"…And, it's practically obvious, you know. What person in their right mind would come here this late at night to throw pebbles at the river while growling? Besides, you've got this… distant expression that shows your intention of jumping." He said the last line in a whisper, as if he actually meant that word… _fo__r __himself._

"…Are you trying to say I'm not right in my mind?!" I asked angrily, missing the change of tone in the last sentence.

He seemed to be amused by this for he replied a "…May-be" with a teasing tone, all the while he got that annoying smirk plastered on his face.

_…I took back every compliment I've __had__ about him. This __person__ here is __one annoying bastard! __I would never forget someone with a smirk and a personality as annoying as his. _

"If I'm not right in my mind because I'm here this late at night, what does that make you, then? Talk about a pot calling the kettle black! "

My sudden statement seemed to surprise him and he remained silent. _Score one for me!_ I didn't even know why I felt like giving a comeback and wanting to win badly from him, I would normally ignore someone who would annoy me, but… deep within my heart, a nostalgic feeling arose, engulfing my heart in its warmth of familiarity and delight.

He averted his gaze towards the river, once again wearing the same sad and painful expression, as I looked at him questioningly. _I was expecting something more of a comeback, not this. _

We stood in silence for a while, each consumed by our thought. I stood there, watching and waiting for him in silence. After a moment of peace, he slowly turned his head to look at me once again. I honestly thought he would have that annoying smirk spread across his face again along with an annoying comeback like before, but instead he had a soft smile adorning his lips in an almost painful way as he spoke in a soft voice. "I… live here."

I was mesmerized, _no, wait, I promised myself that I am not giving him any compliment, so scratch that_. I was taken aback, _yes, taken aback, _by his soft expressio- no, by his sudden mood change that I didn't quite catch what he said until he left…

"… Don't ever throw you life away. Not for love, or anything. It's not worth it."

When the words finally sunk in, I turned to catch a glimpse of him. However, an empty road met me for he was no longer there…

* * *

"I swear, Sora! It's not like what you saw! That wasn't--!"

"It doesn't matter now, does it?!" I snapped back.

"Sora! I'm your best friend! You really think I'll purposely do that to you?!" Kairi cried desperately.

"I never thought you would, but you did, didn't you?" I replied coldly.

"It's not like what you think!"

"Forget it, Kairi." I left her, ignoring the desperate cries from the brunette.

_It doesn't matter, does it? He left me… __and h__e was the only good thing that ha__d__ ever happen__ed__ to me._

I walked home with a heavy heart and let out a sigh just as I was about to pass the bridge from last night. I turned to look at the bridge as pain stabbed my heart once again. _I used to walk home with him or Kairi here_. _It's so lonely without a company_I stood in the middle of the empty bridge, lost in thoughts of the past events that had turned my life upside down before the event last night came into view with a certain silver-haired person included.

It was unusual for me to think about someone that I had just met, but he… He was different from anyone that I had ever seen… Not only I felt like I had known him, despite the fact that I said I would never forget someone as annoying as him, and… the way he said those lines before he left, intrigued me. It was as if he experienced it before and knew something more than anyone does.

Besides, maybe I _do_ know him… or rather, _knew. _Mom said I used to live in this town until I was fourteen. I moved to another town, Twilight Town, because dad had been moved to a bigger company and we had to move with him. 'We' are my mom, my twin sister and me.

I stayed in twilight town for about 2 years but one fateful day, I had an accident that caused me to lose all the memories I have until the accident_. Imagine waking up in a room full of strangers that claim themselves to be your family._ I smiled bitterly at the memory. Not only that I had to stay with those strangers, but it seems my accident caused my parents to quarrel a lot more, each blaming the other for not taking a good care of me. Eventually, it led to their divorce.

It had been half a year ago and ever since the divorce, my mom took my twin sister, Roxie, and me back to this town, Destiny Island. _Destiny Island Town_… I laughed cynically in my mind. My mom thought that going back here would help me regain my memory but so far, it only made my life worse.

I recall all those people who came to see my sister and me on the day we moved back here. My mom and Roxie talked happily with their old friends while leaving me to ponder alone on the terrace. There are people who greeted me and tried to talk to me too, but I ignored them. Ever since those people know that I had lost my memory, they started to sympathize me and treated me as if I was a fragile glass. I hated that. Kairi was the only one who treats me normally and never once had she mentioned about my past life. She was the only one I accepted back as my best friend and she was my only friend ever since… until today. _I still can't believe she did that… she used to be so kind and timid!_

When I finally had snapped back out of the memory-lane, I found myself standing on my terrace. I_t seems my feet moved by itself even though I was __daydreaming_I was about to laugh at myself but sighed instead as I stare at the cold hard door of my house. _Here goes nothing_, I thought as I make my way to the door.

* * *

My dark living room welcomes me home coldly. _No one is home… again_._ Figures_My mom was out working so that she could support our family and she comes home late at night. It is true that without her, we would not be able to live the way we do now… but she has been neglecting the fact that by the age of sixteen, her two daughters still need her love and assistance, especially when I am in the process of trying to recover my memory around here. Roxie… she has been avoiding me ever since the hospital released me and I was allowed to go back home. _Maybe she is blaming me for the divorce_. Ignoring the cold atmosphere of my house, I made my way up the stairs towards my bedroom.

Once there, I prompted myself on my single bed on the corner of the room and grabbed my I-pod along with the headset. I turned the volume to its fullest, just in an attempt to chase away the loneliness that is gnawing in my heart. _No one for me to comfort me or greet me in this lonely, empty house… the mother who always works with no __time to spent for her daughters… the ignorant twin sister who avoids me… My boyfriend who had just dumped me… and my best friend who betrayed me and my trust… what do I have left to lose? _

I shut my eyes tightly as I tried to hold back the tears that are threatening to fall off, but found it is of no use as they started to run down along my flushed cheek. My mind started to take comfort in the darkness that is surrounding me and, as if the darkness is leading me on, once again I found the thoughts of escaping this world appealing when a voice brought me back to my senses and I snapped my eyes open in response.

_He knows what he's talking about… It's as if he had experienced it before… He said he lived__ around there, didn't he? But I didn't see him on my way back… _I need to see him again, I concluded. There's something… something unexplainable that told me that he's the key of everything… and the same feeling told me that I will find him if I go to the same bridge again tonight…

* * *

**End note: **Sorry.. cries 


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **Not mine...

* * *

I woke up to the intense darkness of my empty room. The soft sunlight that seeps underneath the curtain, which wraps itself around the window, had disappeared, plunging my room in an immense darkness. Rising slowly, I looked for my cell phone that I threw somewhere as I prompted myself to the bed earlier. My hand groped around the sheets until it touched a cold metal, and took a glance at the screen, to find out that it is nine. _Didn't e__ven realize that I fell asleep._A groan escaped me and I reached out to grab my I-pod, before proceeding with my earlier plan to go to the bridge, when the song that was playing caught my ear.

**_'Show me the meaning of being lonely'_** played.

_Love the Irony_, I smiled sarcastically at the thought. Switching off the I-pod, I left it on the bed, hopped on my feet and ran towards the door in the looming darkness. _I need to hurry before Rox__ie__ cat__ches__ me sneaking off __at night and t__ells__ mom about it…_I ran out of my room and towards the front door, grabbing my jacket on the way before dashing out off the door and towards the bridge.

Gasping for breath as I reached the bridge, I paused to wait for my heartbeat to return to normal, and walked slowly towards the middle of it. A sigh escaped me as the search for a certain silver-haired teen came to no avail. Feeling slightly disappointed, I walked towards the railings of the bridge to watch the reflection of the moon on the tranquil water.

"You came here again? Stubborn, aren't you?"

_That voice! _

With a smirk adorning his lips once again, I found myself face to face with the silver-haired teen. In a surge of surprise and delight that I have found him, I failed to notice that he, once again, appeared out of nowhere.

"It's a public place, I'm free to come and go as I please." I replied calmly, despite the jumpy feeling I felt inside.

"Oh? Well then, is there a reason why you came here, at night?" He questioned me with an arched eyebrow. _Do I need to mention that his smirk never once le__ft__ his lips?_ I thought as I rolled my eyes.

"… Uh… well… I came here… er… to watch the moon?"

"….Oh? Well… the moon is… beautiful today" I could see him replying with a struggle as he tried to suppress the laughter that was threatening to escape from him. _He knows I cam__e to look for him… the bastard…_I thought as a pink hue started to taint my cheeks

Taking a deep breath, I opened my mouth. "… You knew, didn't you? You knew I came to ask you something."

"Hm? What are you talking about?" He tried to look confused, but the small smirk on his lips gave him away.

Trying to hold back the annoyance forming, once again I tried. "I know you knew. So, don't pretend to not know. Anyway…" I paused to let out a sigh and saw him watching me, urging me silently to continue. "… I just want to ask you… about yesterday…"

I look at him closely, trying to find an answer, but still he held his gaze on me with a neutral, if not cold, expression. Receiving no answer or reaction, I continued.

"… The thing you told me before you left…" I started slowly.

"What about it?" He snapped back coldly.

The way he said those words, so bitter and cold, makes my heart clenched, as I froze involuntarily. I looked at him anxiously before daring myself to continue under his hard gaze.

"…You sound like someone who actually know the experience… and live through it."

"…live through it, eh?" he ran his hand through his silky silver tresses, with his eyes shut, while mumbling the words out of his mouth.

Anxious-filled, I failed to notice the sarcasm in his tone, and watched him intently, waiting for him to continue.

He opened his eyes, with anger and pain held on those orbs, and glared at me. "Maybe I did… what about it?"

"… Why?" Feeling numb, that was the only thing I managed to croak.

"… Why do you want to know?" once again, he wore that cold expression.

A pang of pain crept deep within me as I realized that it really is none of my business. _Still_ I thought. "'Cause… 'Cause I felt like I know you… and somehow I felt like I have to know what happened to you."

"…_fel__t_ like you know me?" he muttered unbelievingly, emphasizing on the word.

"…so it's true that you know me?" I asked back.

"….So it's true that you've _forgotten_ about me." He answered back sternly.

"Look… it's not my fault, okay?!" I shouted, as tears formed on the corner of my eyes. "It's… it's not my fault I got an accident that caused me to lose all memories I once had and ruined my life!"

He looked at me in what seemed like a mixture of confusion and shock. He seemed to not know what to do, seeing me suddenly in the verge of tears, before my words finally sunk into him. "You… lost your memories?"

"Yeah! You got a problem with that?!" suddenly feeling furious and a little bit hurt, without knowing why, I took it out on him.

"… is that so?..." he looked at the ground , covering his eyes with the silver curtain, as he smiles to himself despondently. "…if only I knew it then…"

"Huh?"

"… Nothing" he shook his head, causing the molten silver to flip with every movement his head made, before he looked at me with a gentle smile. "I'm sorry… I really thought you've forgotten about me… you know, without the accident." he held his gaze on me with a sheepish smile adorning his lips.

_What? __Was__… there something between us… before?_ I thought as suddenly I felt the coldness left me, replaced by a warm pink hue on the cheeks.

As if reading my mind, he smiled at me. "There's nothing between us, if that's what you're worried about. We are just… Friends. Best friends, before. I kind of feeling betrayed that you forgot, that's all" Though he gave me a smile, something in his eyes told me that what he just said is not completely the truth.

"…I'm sorry." I muttered, suddenly feeling guilty, and evading his gaze.

"No need to be, Sora. Just like what you said---it's not your fault."

"… well then" I looked at him with a sheepish grin. "It's not fair that you're the only one who knows my name, is it?"

He looked at me, quite taken aback, before he chuckled. "You never change, huh?"

"The name's Riku." He smiled softly.

* * *

"Sora!" A voice came from behind me. I turned to meet Roxie. 

"What are you doing here?! Mom's worried!" She ran to me with a scowl on her face.

"… What are **you** doing here?" I snapped back harshly. I could see her flinched a little by the coldness in my voice but I decided to ignore it.

"I told you… mom's worried. She asked me to go out and look for you… why are you here alone at night?" she started slowly, as if afraid that I'll snap back again.

"… Why do you car-… wait, alone?" I turned around to find an empty road, once again… _He's gone…_

Seeing my confused state as a chance, Roxie grabbed my wrist and dragged me home… leaving the empty bridge.

I watched the bridge in disbelieve, with Roxie still dragging me home, muttering how worried mom was and stuff like that. _How can he move that fast as to hide?_ I thought. Just as I was about to turn in a corner, leaving the bridge concealed, I could swear I saw a glimpse of silver standing in the middle of the bridge, with his usual smirk adorning his lips.

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	3. Chapter 3, Reversed

**Disclaimer:** Not mine, sadly...

* * *

Watching the two disappearing shadows in the distance, I wonder what exactly went wrong with those two. _They used to be so close. _

_"It's… it's not my fault I got an accident that caused me to lose all memories I once had and ruined my life!" _

I flinched at the memory and felt even guiltier that I blamed her for what happened to me. Sighing, I ran my fingers through my locks.

_If only I knew it then…_ I thought as I looked at the water that glows with the soft light of the twilight night. _No one knows that behind the beautiful façade of the water lies something dark,_ I smiled sadly. _No one knows but me… _

_Yesterday is probably just a sheer luck, there is no way the cycle is broken just because I met her again… right? _

Facing the water completely, I took a glance at my watch. "Few more minutes to go," I whisper softly myself. "Let's settle this, once and for all."

My eyes flutter closed as I waited for the appointed time to come and the memories of my forgotten childhood came flooding into my mind.

------

_"Riku!" a five-year-old girl came running towards Riku, with her brown locks floating behind her. "See what I've found! Pretty, isn't it?" The girl asked, holding out few wild flowers for Riku to see. _

_"Yeah, but you know, you shouldn't pick those poor flowers. It's the same like killing them." The six-year-old Riku replied. _

_"Eh? I- I killed them?"The girl trembled, tears forming on the corner of her cerulean eyes. _

_Panicking, the young Riku tried to comfort the girl as he mentally kicked himself for being so blunt towards her. "I-It's okay! It's not your fault! You didn't know! Besides, they still have a chance to survive!" _

_The young Riku took the girl by the hand and ran home, searching frantically for a vase and when he finally did, filled it with water. He then took the flowers from the said girl and put it in a vase. "See? Now they can live again. It's okay! I'll take care of them for you." Riku said with a warm smile adorning his childish feature. _

_Rubbing her eyes slowly, the girl gave Riku a very heart-warming smile. "Ung. Thanks, Ri-chan. I'll come every day and help you take care of it." _

_Riku blushes softly and grinned back at the brunette as a reply. The two kids then watched the flower on the vase, smiles adorning their cute features. _

_--------_

_Why am I remembering these things now? _Opening my eyes, I took a glance at my watch._ It's past the time! But, why am I still standing here? Don't tell me the cycle stopped? _

Shutting my eyes tightly, I let out a bitter laugh. "Is this some kind of a joke?! 'Cause I'm not laughing!" I shouted towards the river, eyes snapping open and glaring towards the intense darkness that forms the horizon.

Suddenly feeling weak, my knees failed me and I fall towards the cold and rough pavement. Slowly, I brought myself to lean on the railing of the bridge and brought one knee up to my chest. Running my hand through my silver locks in an attempt to calm myself, I closed my eyes to try to suppress the burning feeling of the tears of anger and despair that is threatening to leak out.

"Why now? " I breathed towards the midnight breeze. "…It's too late…"

A tear managed to escape and trickle down, dampening a small area of the ground. I look down; creating a silver curtain that covers my eyes and the tears that started to escape, hiding the truth from the world…

* * *

_I never could've seen this far _

_I never could've seen this coming _

_I don't think that I can deal with the things you said; _

_It just won't go away _

_In a perfect world, this could never happen _

_In a perfect world, you'd still be here… _

_Now, I'm lying here; _

_Thinking of you 'till it hurts… _

_In this world without you; _

_My eyes will close… _

_Forgotten memories of the past, _

_Scattered memories of the truth… _

_They fade slowly into the darkness, _

_Pieces by pieces fall into this dark depths… _

_…I still hope that you will miss me when I'm gone…_

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	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** KH doesn't belong to me...

* * *

We walked in silence for a while. The silence was not pleasant; it was tense and awkward. Roxie had stopped talking and had let go of my hand. She walked slowly, her back facing me, with shoulder-length blonde hair covering her slender shoulders that sways as she walks.

Slowly, we were walking closer towards our 'home', but…

"Rox!"

Roxie turned her head towards the voice; causing strands of sleek blonde hair to flip in the force of the air from her movement.

"Axel…" She whispered.

I looked at her relieved expression, and the way her eyes lit up when seeing the opportunity to be freed from me stung me deeply that I didn't realize the longing in the cerulean orbs of hers that looks much like mine, and how her gaze softened when it fell on the stranger.

I turned my head too, inspecting the stranger with hatred and jealousy. Said stranger had a spiky red mane on the top, with a few that he let down on the bottom. His hair was quite long; reaching past his shoulders, and spiked on the edge. _What's with the long hair? Is it the trend now_ I thought, recalling that Riku's hair also reached past his shoulders.

He was somewhat lanky and he had eyes the color of the purest emerald, which shone in the night sky, illuminated by the glowing light from the street's lamp. He also had a diamond tattoo underneath each eye, giving an imagery of eternal teardrops. _He __has__such __nice eyes, __bright and pure, though Riku's could absorb people in its aquamarine pool. Their __heights are__ almost the same__, though__ Riku __is more muscular than lanky…_I commented silently

Watching him walked slowly towards Roxie and I, I noticed how his hair did not budge even as the force of the air swept past through it. _Riku's hair looks __softer__ too__…_

Blushing furiously as the sudden realization dawn on me, I said a quick goodbye to Roxie and Axel before leaving them alone and ran home; missing the pained look in Roxie's eyes and the sad look Axel gave me.

_What's wrong with me?! How could I compare someone who__m__ I just met with another person and brag__ged__ about him as if he is my boyfriend?! _I ran faster, the intensity of the redness on my cheeks could even put tomatoes to shame.

Opening the front door, I entered hastily and closed the door with a loud bang, ignoring my mom's protests, before I ran up to my room. Closing the door behind me and breathing heavily, I leaned on the door, closing my eyes.

_"…and when did I ever mention you're thinking about jumping? I believe all I ever said was 'I wouldn't do that if I were you'" he smirked._

_The smirk and that teasing tone of his..._

_"I… live here."_

_That sad looking smile…_

_The intensity of his eyes __that change__with his mood__…._

_They are __so familiar… and everything about him arose a nostalgic feeling deep within my heart. Are we – are we really__ just friends?_

"I have to find the truth… and I think I know who may be able to help me…" I smiled slyly.

* * *

"Axel…" Roxie whispered to the redhead beside him, tears forming in her eyes.

"Rox, you've got to explain it to her. She deserves it, and it may fix your relationship with her." Axel stroked her hair gently, in attempt to calm her.

Roxie shook her head slowly before looking down, eyes fixing on the ground, tears slowly dampening the gap between her and Axel, which is not that big, actually.

"She- she'll hate me for it… she'll blame me for making her forget about her past, all her friends… and about Riku…" She stared at the ground remotely, biting her lower lip slowly as she finished the last word. _That's right… Riku. I never__ saw him again after that day…_

"It's not your fault, Rox. You know that. I'm sure Sora'll understand too. Even if she had lost her memory, she is still the same person inside. If she's still your loving sister, she'll understand." Axel wrapped his long arm around Roxie's slender waist and held her close, comforting her and trying to soothe her from her distress state.

"Axel… I'm scared… What about Riku? I never saw him again after that… What do you think happened to him? He looked so shaken." Roxie grabbed the front of Axel's shirt and sobbed slowly, dampening the black fabric of the shirt.

"Don't worry… Riku, he- he'll be fine. He's the strongest out of all of us, remember?" Despite of what he said, Axel was worried about their other friend too. He really looked shaken that time… and with him in that condition… Axel bit his lower lip, thinking about his friend. _Please be okay, Riku. Please tell me that you're still safe there, and just couldn't come out because you need to make up for the time__ when you left__…._

He did not believe his own words, of course. But when the light is gone and darkness comes, the best way to make it through it is by believing. Hope will keep everything alive, even if it is as impossible as it may seem.

Roxie was still within Axel's assuring embrace, sobbing quietly while Axel held her close, as he faced the sky and silently wished something he know would never come true to the stars that were glimmering in the brilliant sky, giving light to what previously was just darkness.

"Please be okay, Riku…" He whispered

* * *

_At the same time, not so far away from there…_

_A loud splash of water was heard from a familiar place…_

_Silver mixes with black__ a contrasting fusion…_

_Softly shining in the brilliant glow of the moonlight and the stars that decorates the vast sky._

_The very same __light__ that decorates the rippling dark water before they slowly fades…._

_Leaving __tranquil__ water that reflects the radiant light from the buildings and th__e stars and the moonlight;_

_Creating a__ beautiful façade that fools everyone…_

_A façade that covers the dark secret underneath it_…

* * *


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** Sadly, Kh still doesnt belong to me

_

* * *

_

_---_

_"Ne, Ri-chan, what do you_ _want to__ be when you grow up?" _

_"Hm… I don't know… Maybe a doctor…" A fifteen-year-old Riku replied. 'So that I can cure people with same fate as mine,' he added silently._

_"That's awesome! I know __can do it, Ri-chan."_

_Riku sighed. "Sora, you're fourteen, can you please__ stop__ using th__at__ pet name? Stop calling me Ri-chan."_

_"Eh? Uh… Fine then. Ri-kuuu…_..._n." Sora grinned mischievously._

_Riku just shook his head exasperatedly._

_"Just joking, Ri. Ri-__it's okay right?"_

_Riku looked at Sora and smiled __softly __as a reply. _

_The two w__ere__ sitting on Riku's terrace, watching the blue summer sky__ while__ enjoying each other's company._

_After a moment of a comforting silence, Riku spoke._

_"Oh, that's right. What do **you** __want to__ be when you grow up?"_

_"Eh? I…" Sora blushed,__ soft pink hues decorating her smooth tan cheeks. "I __haven't thought about it… I just want to stay like this forever; having fun with all my friends" _

_Riku chuckled at Sora's childlike reply. "It's so typical of you, Sora." He ruffled Sora's hair affectionately._

_"I also want to stay with you forever, Ri…" She added in a whisper, inaudible for anyone except the two of them._

_"Eh?" Riku froze, hand suspended in mid-air, and his aquamarine orbs are slightly widened in surprise._

_Riku brought his hand down momentarily, and remained silent. Sora stared at __Riku, silently__ regr__etting what she had just said. '__What__ if this destroys our friendship? What if this makes things awkward and he'll never talk to me the same way again?__'__ she thought as tears __we__re slowly form__ed__ in her eyes. 'I don't really care he doesn't like me the same way… but if he ignored me because of this…' she added silently._

_After a while, the __silence__ was__ too unbearable for Sora. She stood abruptly and ra__n from Riku's porch__Her small legs carried her as fast as they could, until she reached __the __center of the bridge__ on her way home, where __Riku grabbed her wris__t. The two looked at each other in silence.__ Both too out of breath__ to say anything. Riku recover__ed__ first, however, and broke the silence._

_"Shit, Sora. I didn't know you could run that fast." _

_"What do you want, Ri?" She replied ti__redly, eyeing her wrist, which wa__s still in Riku's hold._

_"Well, you never hear__d__ what I ha__d__ to say, did you?" He __smiled weakly_

_Sora stared at him in silence, urging him to continue. Taking a deep breath, Riku looked down, using his silver__ tresses to cover the pink hue, which__ start__ed__ to taint his porcelain-white cheeks._

_"…I feel the same way, Sora…" He said slowly, the redness on his face became more visible with every word. "I didn't know you feel the same way… and I was surprised… that you said it first. I…" he paused. 'Shit, why is this so hard?' he thought._

_"Ri-chan…"_

_He sighed, letting go of her hand, and proceeded to run the same hand through his hair. "Told you not to call me that…" He frowned at Sora. "It makes me feel like a girl," He added.__'__and w__hat a way to destroy the mood…' he thought silently_

_Sora giggled at the statement, tears soon forgotten and mirth is slowly returning to her bright cerulean eyes. __'Oh well, as long as she's laughing,' __Riku smiled softly in spite of himself._

_A comfortable silence settles in between them again as they stood hand in hand, leaning on the railings of the bridge, watching the radiant sky, which is reflected on the clear water of the river. The silence was broken, though, when Riku spoke again._

_"Sora, I need to tell you something…" _

_"Ung…?" Sora turned to face Riku, but found that Riku is still watching the river with a far-off look. His silver hair was caught in the summer breeze, fanning around before __it __slowly fell back into position. Sora watched Riku in silent, waiting for __him__ to continue._

_Riku turned to look at her, a soft smile adorning his lips. __He__ opened__his mouth __as if he wants to say something but decided against it and shook his head instead. _

_He smirked at Sora's confused face. "Close your eyes, Sora. I have something for you." He smiled softly._

_Sora's eyes widened slightly and a blush crept on her cheeks, but she obliged anyway. This earned a chuckle from Riku and a __cute __pout from Sora as a reply._

_Riku leaned in slowly, which cause Sora's heart to miss a beat before w__ildly battering against her ribcage__, so loud that she was sure the nearby police would come to check what the racket was, but when Riku leaned in more __and __brushed__his lips __softly against her __own __pink lips, everything became silent._

_It __cannot__ even pass as a kiss, but to Sora, that moment was perfect… So beautiful, so bright… and just so… __. Her trance was broken though, when she heard a soft 'click' behind her._

_She opened her eyes to see a blushing, yet smirking Riku. She looked down and found that Riku had put a silver necklace around her, with a small crown pendant in the middle. The light from the sun was reflected on the smooth surface of the silver, making it shines brightly. Sora traced the pendant with her finger in __awe__ before smiling widely._

_"Ri… It's beautiful…"_

_"Glad you like it." His smirk grew wider__. "I've been planning to give it to you for awhile, but I guess now is the perfect time."_

_"Think of it as a present to celebrate the day…" He added softly before blushing, and even though his words are vague, Sora caught the hidden meaning_

_She smiled brightly, "Thanks, Ri. I'll take a good care of it… I promise."_

_Riku chuckled and ruffled her hair in reply._

---

I woke up abruptly, a bright red hue tainting my cheeks. Running my fingers through my damp brown locks, I prompted back on my bed.

"Is it just a dream? But it felt so real…" I whispered to myself. "Is any of this for real? Or not?"

* * *


	6. Chapter 6, another side

**Disclaimer:** Kh is still not mine...

* * *

I woke up due to the racket in the next room. Taking a short glance at the clock, I came to notice that it was only eight in the morning. _What is she doing this early?,_ I thought silently as I clamped the pillow over my head in attempt to block out the noise.

_GUBRAK!_

_"SHOOT!"_ came a muffled voice from the next room.

Groaning, I sat up slowly on my bed, massaging my head in attempt to ease the headache. Sighing, I hopped on my knees and started to make my way to Sora's room. .

Walking down on the empty hallway, I -

_W__ait, empty? Guess mom must have left. She's getting busier everyday…_I sighed. _I rarely see her now…_

Finally, I reached the opened door of Sora's room; I poked my head inside to find Sora in a frantic search for something. "Sora?" I started.

She looked up at me and stared at me questioningly, as if she's asking for an explanation of what the hell I'm doing, poking my head in her room without permission. _Ouch_. "I woke up because I heard a crash… what's wrong?"

She looked quite surprised and her eyes stared at me apologetically. She then smiled softly and shook her head, flapping around her soft brown locks on the air. "Nothing, I was just looking for something…"

"What is it? Maybe I could help?" I asked as I slowly walked inside the room.

"…" She blushed. _Okay… what could that be_ I asked silently, curiosity perked up inside me. I watched her silently as she battles with her inner-self.

After watching an interesting series of expression changes, _and laughing on my part, _she managed to came to a conclusion and end the battle against herself.

"I…. I'm looking for a necklace…" She started. "The thing is… I don't know if it exists or not…" She ended with a blush.

"Huh?" I took a few seconds to actually process what she said. _Don't know if it exists or not?_ I repeated her words in my mind. _What does she mean by that?_

"It's stupid isn't it? It's useless." She sighed. "Thanks, Rox. But I guess it's no use in searching for a necklace I saw in a dream." She stood up and dusted her pajama's pants.

"Wait, a dream?"

"Yeah, I had this dream last night… Ri-" She paused, her faced turned crimson red. So intense that I'm sure even a boiled lobster will be ashamed.

"Ri? …Sora, you mean, Riku?"

"You know him?" She turned to look at me abruptly.

"Not only me, Sora. The four of us – you, me, Axel, and Riku were best friends despite the age difference." I explained. "Axel is as old as Riku – eighteen, but we used to play together as kids." I smiled as the memories of our childhood came flooding into my mind… _Axel..._

Sora's attention is fully focused on me now, urging me to continue. _Strange, she never wanted to know about her past until today… Riku__ ha__s done it again_, I smiled quietly.

"The four of us were inseparable, we were never found without the other." I chuckled at the memory. "Though, the inseparable term was supposed to be for you and Riku only. You always follow him everywhere, and instead of getting angry, he always laughed at your child-like demeanor."

I saw a soft smile forming on Sora's lips though her eyes showed sadness.

"… It's not your fault, Sora. The accident was not your fault…" I suddenly found myself spitting out the line, even if it was a taboo subject for both of us. _I__t was__ not your fault… It was__ mine,_ I added silently. Guilt started to clench my heart painfully.

Sora looked at me with slightly widened eyes due to surprise. She seems to be taken aback by something but now, a bright smile was plastered on her face.

Sighing inwardly, I smiled back at her. '_You choke behind your smile,_' a line from a song came into my mind at that exact time, and a pang of guilt stabbed my heart again but I chose to ignore it. _This is not the time to tell her_, I thought.

"… You saw Riku before?" I asked, attempting to change the topic.

She nodded. "Yeah, twice. I saw him on the day I broke up with Tidus…. That was the first. The second was… last night."

"You broke up with Tidus?!" I almost screamed.

"… He dumped me, actually." She added sadly.

"I'm sorry, I'm not supposed to-"

"It's okay. Don't worry about that" She shook her head and smiled softly at me.

There was an awkward silence before I asked her a question that has been bothering me in the back of my mind. Not that I didn't find Sora's break up an unimportant subject, but Tidus was a jerk, and Sora deserves someone better. And now that she had found Riku, and seeing from her reaction, I think the old feelings are coming back to those lovebirds. The two of them is still inseparable, even now…

"…. Where did you see Riku?" I asked her, and breaking the tension between us once again. _Riku, you're a life-saver,_ I thought.

"Both of the meetings were on the bridge…" She said, looking thoughtful.

"Last night too? But, I didn't see him." I replied, recalling the incident last night.

She shook her head at this. "I'm not sure, but… he's gone when you're there… It's… weird."

"It's as if… he doesn't want anyone else to see him." I added, which she, seeing that she's nodding in approval of my words, agrees.

"At least he's okay…" I said, letting out a relieved sigh along with it.

"What do you mean?" Sora asked, her eyes shone with concern.

* * *


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:** 's nt mine

* * *

I watched Roxie as she sputtered. From the look on her face, it was as if she had had a slip of tongue and had said something she shouldn't have. 

"What do you mean, Rox?" I asked once again, voice lowered in warning.

She froze as she looked into my eyes, which now shone with anger and concern. _What happened to Riku?_ I thought anxiously.

"... Nothing... It's nothing..." Finally, after a moment of peace between us, she said with a sigh.

"How could that possibly be?! You're the one who said it – 'at least he's okay'!" I shouted, gritting my teeth to suppress the anger building inside me.

I could see Roxie flinched with the harshness in my voice before letting out a deep sigh. "Sora, Riku's sick. He had always been. Axel was the first to find out when Riku was in one of his attacks and told me about it. We didn't tell you because... he made us promise not to. He didn't want you to worry..." Roxie said, lowering her gaze to the floor.

"He- He is? Ho-how serious?" I asked, voice quivering out of worry. _Why? Why now? Why when I finally reme__mber what happened between us__ and found a new light upon my dark life?_

"I'm not sure about that. We left, remember? Since then, it was only Axel who's with him... but even he lost contact with Riku ever since..." Roxie paused and bit her lower lip, before taking a worried glance at me.

"... Ever since?" I asked, though from the knot forming in my stomach told me that it was a bad idea.

"...ever since ... we came back... He came, Sora. He came to see us. But... you..." Roxie started, her voice trembled. "You didn't recognize him at that time... and I don't think you remember the incident of that day, did you? You were too preoccupied with Tidus." She said as she smiled wearily.

I stared at Roxie blankly. Memories of that day came swirling into my mind, and nausea took over me. Looking past Roxie, who watched me worriedly, guilt started to gnaw at my heart and regret came to stab at the ragged heart of mine. Shaking my head slightly, I opened my mouth, but no voice came out.

"Sora? You okay?" Roxie asked, her eyes shone with concern and lament.

"I'm – I'm fine..." A croaked came out.

"Sora, you need to have some rest." Roxie said, guiding me into the bed as I followed her like a lifeless doll.

_----_

_"Sora, quit joking! It's me!" the silver-haired teen shouted._

_"Who's joking?__ I don't know you, so quit bothering me and get the hell out of my way" I replied coldly._

_"What happened to you, Sora? How could you change this way?" he said, shaking his head unbelievingly._

_Irritation built up inside me as he had just mentioned a __forbidden__ topic. "Why do you care? It's not your__ business, so just f__k off!__"_

_"Sora!" a voice cut through the __cruel silence__ that followed the previous statement._

_Turning my head, I saw Tidus on the end of the bridge the silver-haired stranger and I stood. "Tidus!" I smiled back at him brightly._

_Said stranger stared at me unbelievingly. "You're with Tidus?!" He muttered angrily._

_Giving an unfeeling glance at him, I spat. "Whoever I'm with, it's no__ne of __your business. I don't know how you know my name, but I'd rather not know that. Just buzz off, stalker, and don't follow me again. It's sickening." _

_Facing Tidus, who watched the scene with a smug smirk on his face, I walked past the stunned stranger and straight to Tidus' opened arms._

_Tidus draped his arms around my shoulder and walked away with a __haughty__ smirk after taking a glance at the __shocked __stranger. Little did I know that after we left, said stranger left the place quietly, a silent tear fell from his face, and past Roxie and Axel who watched the scene anxiously._

_---_

"No!" I wake up abruptly, tears falling down my cheeks. Seeing from the crimson-colored light that seeped passed through the closed curtain, it seems that the sun is beginning to set. "No..." I whisper, running my hand through my damped brown locks.

"Is that really me over there? How could I do something like that?" I asked myself.

Being with Tidus had changed me, and now I could finally see what happened during I was dating him. I've turned into a monster. I didn't even recognized myself anymore.

Hopping onto my feet, I changed into my casual clothes – a worn out jeans and a yellow sleeveless shirt. Throwing my used pajamas to the bed, I ran out of the door, out of the house, and ran further into the bridge.

* * *

"Riku!" I shouted. "I know you can hear me, wherever you are! Listen, I-" 

"Sheesh, lower your voice. You wouldn't want the whole neighborhood listening to your proclaim of love to me, would you?" a teasing voice came behind me, along with the silver-haired owner of said velvety voice.

I could swear my heart missed a beat at the line. I know it's supposed to be a joke, but ever since I remembered what happened between us... Sighing, I turned to look at him.

"Riku, I'm so sorry..."

"What for?" He asked.

"For treating you... the way I did when I was with Tidus..." I replied, locking gaze with his beautiful aqua orbs.

"..." He stared at me with an unreadable expression, before smiling softly. "Don't worry 'bout it. It's long past and forgotten."

"But it's my fault! I may have forgotten about you, but I have no right to treat you that way! I didn't know what came over me that time..." I retorted.

"Sora," he sighed. "I told you, don't worry 'bout that."

Shaking my head, I replied. "No. I didn't know what came over me when I dated Tidus. I didn't have a problem when I talked to you the second time, did I? It's not because you're a stranger, that's for sure. Maybe I just..." I paused._ I just what? Irritated? Frustrated? Annoyed by people who claim themselves as my friends and all? That is still not a reason to treat people the way I did... What have I done?_

The sudden realization came dawning on me. _When I'm with Tidus, I've acted like a total bitch. Treating people like trash simply because I didn't want __people to sympathize__ me... while in fact, they're just trying to catch up with me. I couldn't believe I bought it when Tidus said those people are just feeling sorry for me. A__nd__ Kairi... It's possible that Tidus was the one who flirted with her, and I've blamed her for it... to think I've thought that TIdus was the only good thing that ever happened to me..._

"... Dated?" Riku's voice cut through the train of thoughts passing through my head, and I looked up to meet his questioning aquamarine eyes.

Nodding, I replied with a firm voice, no longer feeling any remorse of breaking up with the jerk. "Yeah, we broke up the day we first – I mean, the day we met for the _second_ time."

"I'm sorr-"

"Don't be. Besides, I know you're not," I said, grinning mischievously at him.

"Huh?"

"Best friend, huh? I didn't know any best friend who kissed their best friend, Ri." I replied, smirking.

"...!" He looked quite taken aback, and quickly, he averted his gaze towards the crimson horizon that mixes with the soft blue of the river, hiding the blush in his face for it is mixed with the crimson-gold light of the sun.

"... I'm sorry; I just remembered it last night." I said in a whisper.

Shaking his head, flipping gold-tainted silver haired in the process, he looked back at me with a soft smile adorning his lips.

"I'm happy as it is that you remembered," he said. "But, Sora... I'm afraid it's too late..." He added in a whisper.

"Huh?"

* * *


	8. Chapter 8, flurry of dancing flames

**A/N;** i'm still sorry for making them girls. XP and of cours, KH doesnt belong to me...

* * *

---- 

_"Oi, Riku, you ready?" I said, as I knocked on the door._

_"...__-__-cough-__..." a muffled cough came as a reply._

_"Riku?" I asked, knocking harder._

_"...Ugh..." _

_BRUK!_

_"Riku?!" forcing the door open, I entered the room hastily._

_Kneeling on his bedside, there lay Riku with his head down – creating a curtain of silver hair that covered part of his frighteningly pale skin. His breath came shallow and fast..._

_"Riku? You okay?" I walked towards him tentatively._

_A violent cough came as a reply and, to my shock, fresh blood spluttered out of his mouth – soiling the black bed cover red, along with his silver hair._

_"RIKU!" I rushed towards him, kneeling down beside him as I reach his side._

_Panting hard, with blood still trickling down his chin, he replied. "A-ax... Don't... don't tell Sora... she must not know. Promise me, Axel..."_

_"Riku... but--!" _

_He shook his head softly. "Axel... she must not know... she's leaving tomorrow... I don't want her to worry about this... it- it's nothing. It's curable. I swear."_

_Sighing deeply, I nodded – giving a silent promise to him. He smiled briefly before he cough violently again, fresh blood spluttering from his mouth once again. _

_"Riku... what actually happened to you?" I asked, while tapping his back slowly. _

_"...-cough-. No-thing serious..." he grinned weakly. _

_"You've gotta be kidding! You're coughing blood, for God's sake!"_

_"It's really nothing... It's just- ...my heart's weak... It's been like that since birth," he paused, letting out a sigh. "Sometimes I got an attack, but nothing too serious..."_

_"'Nothing too serious'?! You're coughing BLOOD, Riku. B-L-O-O-D!" I shouted at him._

_"Jeez... I can spell, thanks," He smirked. "It's not always like this, you know..."_

_"Before –" his words are again cut by the violent cough spilling from his mouth, along with the fresh blood. _

_"You better rest, Riks. I'll go get some water for you..." I said, standing up to make my way to the door just as Riku grabbed my wrist weakly._

_"No... Wait... I'm fine..." his voice started to sound hoarse. "It's okay... Just... come here and listen..."_

_With a heavy heart, I obliged and took my previous position of kneeling beside him._

_"Before... it's not like this... The attack was never... like this..." he said. "...Ax, tomorrow... after she le__aves__, I'll be leaving for the hospital too..."_

_"Hospital!? Riku... you—" I'm lost for words... this kid__ here... he talks as if he's going to the hospital just to get some cough medicine or something like that! This brat... Doesn't he know the seriousness of his own condition!?_

_He chuckled, though the so__und__ that came out sounded more like a __croak__. "Don't worry so much, Ax. It's curable. Told you that, didn't I? Besides, I won't die just yet...__ At least not by this disease.__ I still have something that I want to do in this world__..."__ He smiled._

_"Sora, isn't it?" I can't help but grinned back at him._

_"Eh? Wha--?" He blushed._

_"Don't deny it, kid. Go take a __shower;__ we're supposed to meet those twins in fifteen minutes. I'll call your maid to clean this mess up." I said, pointing at the shower room while standing up._

_"You're as old as I am, Ax. Don't act like a geezer." He stuck out his tongue as he walks towards the shower room._

_"Yeah, yeah. Whatever." I replied from the doorway._

_"Ax?" He paused just as he's about to enter the shower room._

_"Hm?"_

_"Thanks..."_

_"Don't mention it." I grinned as I exit his room._

"Riku..." I let out a sigh just as I opened my eyes. 'I hope you're okay...'

_R__RRII__INNNGGG!_

"coming!" _I know talking to a phone is not gonna make it stop ringing, but... well, old habits die hard, __don't they? _Standing up from the couch I've been lying on for the past few hours, I walked to the phone's direction.

"Hello?" I greeted.

"Axel! Sora's gone! I think she's heading towards the bridge again!" a female voice came from the far end of the line.

"Rox? Sora? The bridge? What's she doing there?" I asked.

"I have a feeling she's there to see Riku. I- I told her about Riku... and—"

"Rox! You know Riku told you not to tell any—wait, to _see_ Riku?"

"Yeah... she said she's been seeing Riku on the bridge twice already..." Roxie voice sounded confused.

"But- but that can't be!" I shouted at the phone.

"Huh?"

"The bridge... It's that bridge that connects Riku's place to yours, right?" I asked.

"Huh? U-uh.. yeah... why?"

"... No... How could it be? I'm gonna go there to check, I'll call you later, Rox."

" eh? A-ax, wai--!" I ignored Roxie's words and slammed the phone shut.

Grabbing my black jacket with fire-like pattern on each sleeve, I ran out of my house and towards the bridge.

"Riku... could it be that you're... No... I don't want to believe that... Please... please tell me it's just my imagination..." I ran faster towards the bridge...

Upon reaching the bridge, I saw to figures standing on the middle of it. When I got closer, I realized that it was Sora and... _No!_

"Riku!" I shouted.

Said person took a glance at me and smiled.

"Axel...? What are you doing here?" Sora turned to look at me.

"Sora? You remembered me?"

Nodding slowly, a blush crept to her face. She really looks like Roxie... "Uh, yeah. I'm sorry... las- last night... everything came back to me... well, not all... but..."

Nodding at her, I then averted my attention back to the guy who's supposed to— Shaking my head at the thought, I opened my mouth to question him again...

"Riku... what – what are you doing here?! You're supposed to--!"

Riku remained calm, and a small smile was plastered across his face. "I'm not supposed to be here? But, unfortunately, whether I want it or not... I'm stuck here..."

"But--!"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sora cut in. Her usually cute feature turned angry as a scowl formed on her face.

"... That's right! Riku, besides apologizing to you, I came here to ask about your... sickness..." She said.

Upon hearing her words, Riku turned to look at me with an angry glare. "It's not me! I swear!"

"Riku..." Sora pleaded.

Sighing, Riku opened his mouth to explain... "I ---"

"Riku?" Sora and I asked at the same time for Riku had abruptly paused... not pause—it's as if he's frozen.

"...I- I'm sorry... Sora..." He smiled sadly at her... "Time's up."

"What? What do you mean, Ri—" Sora paused mid-sentence as Riku's body began to glow.

"Riku?!" I shouted.

"Axel... you knew what happened... I'm just a mere fragment of someone who once belonged to this world..." Riku said slowly... A mixture of pain, regret and shame could be seen on his clear aqua eyes.

"I'm a being that's not supposed to exist... I'm just a phantom of what's left of what I used to be...," he continued. "And... my being is affected... because Sora noticed my presence... and so did you... That's why..." "The cycle had been broken too... Maybe it's a sign to show that my time to atone for my sin has come to an end..."

"Riku!" Sora shouted, and ran towards him.

_GUBRAK!_

"Sora!", I shouted, rushing to help her stand.

"Why?! Why can't I touch you, Ri?!" She screamed as tears fall down her cheeks.

Riku just smile sadly at her, trying to hold back his own tears. "Sora... I told you... I am no longer a being of this world... I have no... Physical body..."

"Riku... but, why? How could this happen?" Sora asked desperately...

"Riku... don't tell me it's cause of--?" I asked him.

"No... it's... it's not. It's my fault. I should've had more faith in you, Sora..."

"Riku? Is- Is it because--?"

"It's not your fault, Sora. I want you not to blame yourself... even after you heard what happened from Axel," he took a glance at me, smiling. "It's my fault... it was none of yours from the beginning..."

"Riku... I'm so sorry... please... please say that it's just a joke! It's a joke, isn't it?!" Sora screamed, tears fell harder on her cheeks.

Riku smiled at her sadly, and walked closer to her. As if on cue, I began to walk away from the couple – giving them a little privacy in what probably be their last--- no... I should not think negatively... Riku'll be alright. I won't believe otherwise 'till I see his dead body. _...but wait... he mentioned...?_

"... Riku?" I voiced my doubt.

Riku stood beside Sora, but his gaze was averted to look at me, urging me to continue my question.

"...I'm sorry, this maybe not the best time," I grinned. "But, something you said intrigued me... what do you mean by 'the cycle'?"

"I'm used to you destroying my mood, Axel. Why bother to say sorry _now_?", he chuckled.

"...The cycle... was basically a way... to punish a human from their greatest sin— suicide. Every day, at the exact time and place..." he paused, as if trying to erase the mental images filling his brain. "...every day, you've got to repeat the same process – killing yourself again and again... until your vengeance in this world is erased..."

"Riku..." Sora looked at him with mixed unreadable expression. Riku just smiled lovingly at her...

"Riku... so, you've been through the pain again... and again?" I asked, unbelievingly.

He just laughed at the question... his voice sounds forced... and no mirth was carried. "You'll get used to it. Though it's still uncomfortable..."

"Riku... is- is that why you told me not to kill myself before?" Sora asked, tears never once stopped flowing from her cerulean orbs that looked so much like Roxie's...

"Yeah... "

* * *

**A/N;** I love cliffies. XP 


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N:** Kh's not mine, n em still sorry for makin them have a gender transplant XP

* * *

"...But not only that. I want you to be happy, Sora. I know you can, and I know you will. Live well, and remember... wherever you are, I'm always with you..." Riku said, while holding his beautiful aquamarine eyes against my own cerulean ones. 

"Riku..."

He softly placed his thumb against my cheek, as if to wipe the tears away. It felt like a breeze swept past through my damp cheek... Hollow... empty...

As if sensing my feelings, he smiled sadly at me and pulled his hand away. "I'm sorry, Sora.. Should've never doubted you..."

"Riku... It's not your fault.. It's mine... how- how could I treat you like that? Even if I didn't remember you..."

He smiled another one of his sad smiles. "Close your eyes, Sora... I've got something for you..."

...Those words are the exact same words two years ago... Back when everything was perfect... _why? Why did it happen? Why to me? _I asked silently, tears starting to fall harder on my cheeks as I closed my eyes.

Riku leaned in closer, and like that time... he softly brush his lips against mine... and like before... it felt like a breeze swept past my lips... empty and hollow... yet, my heart was engulfed in a warmth so soft and pure it hurts...

_'Click'_

"Eh?" I opened my eyes, but an empty road met me, followed by a soft breeze... Looking down, I found the same necklace I was looking for earlier – the silver crown pendant, though this time, it was decorated by the silver light of the moon...

"Sora..." a voice startled me out of my trance.

"Let's go home... I believe I owe you a lot of stories..." Axel said sadly, before averting his gaze to the darkening horizon to hide a tear that escaped him.

"Yeah..." I replied absent-mindedly as I held the crown pendant in my hand, and placed it on top of my heart. "Remember what you said before? I'm always with you too, RI. I'll never lose this again... I promise... I won't forget about you... never again..." I whispered to the midnight breeze.

Just as Axel and I were about to leave the bridge, the same breeze blew past us, and strangely, a familiar voice was carried by the wind, making me tear up once again upon hearing the words.

_"I know you won'__t.__Live well, Sora. F__or the two of us... _

* * *

---  
-----  
--- 

Upon reaching my home, Roxie greeted us with a worried look after taking a glance at our expressions.

"What happened?" she asked.

"... Rox, Riku- he..." Axel began explaining.

_...Strange,_ I thought. _I couldn't hear Axel anymore... It feels so empty... It's all my fault, isn't it? I don't want to believe it's true too... but... I..._

A tear fell from my eye, but my face remained expressionless. Vaguely, I could see Axel had stopped talking and had begun to watch me anxiously along with Roxie... Their images became blur though, and slowly, everything became dark...

---

_"Mou... why are you guys late?!" A fourteen-year-old Sora pouted at Riku and Axel who arrived late._

_"It's Riku's fault. If he didn't spend that much time fixing his hair like a damn girl, we would have come earlier." Axel replied._

_This, of course, resulted in Riku kicking Axel playfully on his behind. __"Stop joking around, Axel" he said in mock annoyance._

_"Hey, what's that for?!" Axel rubbed his butt in order to soothe it from the damage Riku's boots had managed to do to it._

_"You should've seen that coming," Roxie replied coldly._

_"Aww, Roxie. Thanks, I love you too." Axel replied sarcastically._

_Sora and Riku laughed in their friend's child-like behavior. Leaning closer, Riku wrapped his arms around Sora's back and rested his head on the top of her head. "Hey, I'm gonna miss you, you know." He said._

_Blushing, Sora nodded slowly. "Ung. I'm gonna miss you too, Ri."_

_Riku __closed his eyes and __tighten__ed__ his embrace around Sora __while __inhaling the smell of her hair for the last time before she left. "Write me a letter, 'kay? E-mail me, text me... anything." He said._

_"I will..." _

_The two stood in each other's embrace for a long time before Sora spoke up again._

_"Ri?"_

_"Hm?" _

_"...Take the necklace with you..."She said._

_"Huh?" surprised, Riku snapped his eyes opened and released Sora from his embrace._

_"__N__-no! I don't mean 'take it back'! I mean!" Sora said __in panic. "What I mean is – you keep the necklace 'till we meet again. Sort of like a promise that we'll meet each other again. And when we do, you must return the necklace to me without a scratch!" She grinned._

_Riku chuckled and ruffled Sora's hair affectionately. "Sure. It's a promise, then."_

_"Ung!"_

_"Sora! Stop making out with Riku and come here and help move your packages!" Roxie grinned._

_The two teen's whose name was mentioned__ blushed crimson red and Sora ran towards R__oxie__ with a mock anger while Riku just chuckled and joined the two maternal twins along with Axel__ who's grinning as mischievously as Roxie._

_- - -_

"Sora!"

"Rox! Calm down! I'm sure she's okay!"

"Axel! She's not breathing!"

"What?! Call the ambulance, Rox. Fast!"

* * *

--  
----  
--

"Doctor! The patient's heartbeat is dropping!"

"Ready the defibrillator! We need to get a pulse!"

_BZZZTTT_

"Doctor, it's no use! It's dropping!"

_BBZZZZTT!!_

_'pip... piiippp... ppiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiipppppppppppppppp'_

"Doctor..."

"...call his parents... there's... there's nothing we can do now..."

"Bu-t! He-he's so young... what a waste... he's good-looking too..."

"What are you talking about?! Call his parents. NOW!"

"Y-yes, doctor!"

Watching the nurse rushing out of the room, Leon prompted himself on a chair. "I can't believe I'm watching you die... I always thought that you'll make it out, but..." he let out a deep sigh. "It's a pity the world lost someone like you... but you can't defy death..."

"Pathetic, huh? I've always thought I could save people by becoming a doctor... but now—I'm watching a friend, a friend who's always been a _brother_ to me, died without being able to do anything..." he ran his hands through his long brown locks.

"I'm so sorry..."

"Dr. Squall? I've called his parents. They're coming soon."

"It's _Leon_." He growled. "Tell them to come to my office when they've arrive."

"Alright Squ- Leon!"

"...whatever."

Taking another glance at the lifeless teen lying on the bed, he sighed once more. "I'm so sorry I couldn't do anything for you... Riku..."

* * *

**A/N:** Sorry... but Riku must die for em a freakin sadist.. hahahahahahahaa XP  
oh, n em so sorry, but i really love cliffies n i dun wanna part with it soon. hahahaha


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N:** KH is not mine... if it is, Axel wouldn't be dead and Roxas won't diffuse into Sora. XP

* * *

"Doctor! There's a new patient that needs your assistance." 

Looking at the young nurse beside him, he sighed. "I need to talk to Riku's parents now..."

"It's an emergency, doctor! Let me handle consoling the boy's parents!" The nurse replied.

"But—"

"Don't worry! The great ninj—the great nurse Yuffie can handle anything!" She chirped.

"That's what I'm worried about..." He muttered silently, remembering that the nurse has a weird fetish of thinking that she's a ninja.

"What?"

"Nothing. Fine, I'll trust you to break the news to his parents'... _carefully_," He warned.

"Okay! Oh, the new patient's in room 138."

"...Whatever."

Turning around, he scurried towards room 138. Upon entering the room, a mass of red spikes and long golden hair greeted him. Blinking a few times to clear his vision from the contrastingly blinding color, he walked towards the bed.

"What's the condition?" He asked.

"It seems that it's a cause of hyperventilating, doctor. The patient lost her consciousness and now an oxygen mask had been installed upon her. It was a close call, but she made it... It's as if something was preventing her from going to the other world." The nurse, Aerith, replied with a smile.

"Hn," he scoffed. "Good thing, too. Wouldn't want two patients to die at the same day, would we?"

"Doctor? She- she's gonna be okay, right?" the blond girl asked.

"Yeah, like what Aerith says; it was a close call, but she made it." He replied, after checking the condition of his new patient.

"...Leon?"

Turning around, Leon met face to face with Axel. "...Axel?"

"You two know each other?" Roxie asked, after taking a glance at the two of them.

"Yeah, he's the doctor that took care of Riku... Speaking of which... did Riku... did he..."

Leon's face became stoic at the statement. He averted his gaze towards the floor in shame as he replied. "He... died... just about fifteen minutes ago... I'm so sorry... I—" He paused, choking on his words as the feeling sorrow built inside of him_. 'As a doctor I'm not supposed to show my emotions like this, damn it! But why Riku?!'_

"So it's true..." Axel mumbled. "Leon, you may not believe this... but we just saw Riku or what's left of him, anyway... about thirty minutes before Sora hyperventilated and was rushed here..."

"...Sora?" Leon asked, his eyes darting towards the peace mask of the unconscious girl lying on the white bed.

"You know her too?" Roxie asked, suddenly.

"Heh," he smirked. "Everyone who knew Riku, knows Sora. That kid never stopped talking about her...," he added sadly.

The three of them stood in silence, watching the unconscious brunette on her bed, lying peacefully with an oxygen mask covering her mouth and nose.

"Axel... you said you saw Riku... what do you mean by that?" Leon asked abruptly.

"... To make the long story short, you know how Riku's only reason in fighting against his disease and going through all the painstaking rehab is Sora?" he asked, which was confirmed with a nod from Leon. "Well, it seems like that reason was... broken... when Sora forgets about him and..." He paused, letting out a sigh. "Let's just say, Sora's too preoccupied with her boyfriend at the time and treated Riku... heartlessly."

"Hmm..." Leon voiced, looking thoughtful before letting out a sigh. "I forgot how sensitive that boy can be... Don't blame him, though. He was looking forward for the day he's able to return home for the weekend to meet Sora, but--"

"But it's still no reason to throw away his life... especially when we're here to help him get through his hard time..." Axel finished for him.

"... Couldn't say it better myself," Leon smirked.

"...and if only he waited...and tried harder to win Sora back," Roxie added. "That time, Sora was actually pissed because a lot of people whom she couldn't remember were trying to be intimate with her... and she always hated it when she's treated differently...

"And I think it was mainly Tidus' fault. He knew about Riku and Sora, hell, everyone knows about them! Maybe that's why he used Sora to have his revenge on Riku..." Roxie said, deep in thought.

"Revenge? " Leon asked.

"...His old girlfriend dumped him because she likes Riku more..." Axel replied, struggling to hold his laughter.

"Oh... no wonder. The nurses here also had a crush on that boy..." Leon said, smiling as he took a glance at the blushing Aerith. "He also got this free-spirited personality that attracts people..." he added. _'__That is__ why __he is__ the only patient who can __break__ into my walls of defense _', he added silently, smiling wistfully at the memory of the first time he met Riku.

_- - - _

_"Riku, this is Leon. He'll be your doctor from today onwards..." A younger Aerith said to the fifteen-year-old boy __who was__ sitting cross-legged on his assigned bed._

_"Hn__," Leon scoffed._

_Grinning wi__d__e__ly at the grumpy doctor, he offered a hand. "Nice to meet you, Leon!" __he said brightly._

_"...whatever." Leon ignored the extended hand and averted his gaze towards the nurse. "What's his problem?"__ he asked the nurse._

_"Shouldn't it be __'condition'?__" Riku retorted, slightly annoyed by the doctor's rude behavior_

_"I'll say what I want," Leon replied._

_"Well, then... you can't blame me for saying things __want to say," He grinned mischievously__, after he took a glance at the doctor's nametag__. "Nice to meet you, __D__octor __. Hope we can get along well." _

_"It's __."_

_"You can't order me to say what I want to say," he smirked. "Besides, __would you rather be called Doctor __heart instead?"_

_"...Whatever."_

_Smiling brightly, he extended his hand towards the doctor again. "Well then, hope we can get along well, Squall!"_

_Unconsciously, Leon flashed one of his rare smiles towards the silver haired boy in spite of himself__ before__ he__ shook said boy's hand. 'This is going to be one interesting patient,' he thought._

_- - -_

Back to Sora's room, Leon stood watching said unconscious girl. _'I won't let anything happen to her... this is the least I can do for you, Riku...'_ he thought.

A soft breeze blew past him, fanning out his wavy brown locks that reached barely past his shoulder blade. The breeze strangely has the same feeling of warmness and carefree feeling Leon could only get when he's talking to...

_'... Thank you for everything, __Squall__. Take care of her for me...'_

Leon's eyes widened slightly in surprised before he smiled to himself.

"Of course I will, Riku... I promise you that...," he whispered back to the breeze.

* * *


	11. Chapter 11, forgotten memories

**A/N:** not mine. oh, all the italics are memories...

* * *

- - - 

_"Oi, Sora! __What are you waiting for?__!" A red headed kid shouted from inside the forest._

_"Sora! Come on!" A cheerful voice of a blonde girl was heard along with the previous voice of the red head._

_" B-but! It's scary! I don't want to go into that forest...__,"__ the__ seven__-year-old Sora cried._

_"Don't worry, I'll protect you. Come on, together, we can do it." Came a voice from beside the little brunette. She looked up to see a platinum haired boy smiling gently at him, holding her hand and squeezing it gently to assure her._

_"Ri-chan... but..." she protested._

_"It's okay. I'm here. We'll go together. I'll protect you from anything, so you don't have to be afraid, okay?" He replied gently, patting her hair softly._

_"...okay." She nodded._

_Smiling brightly at her, Riku tugged at their joined hands and brought them inside the forest. Inside, they joined Roxie and Axel, who stood near the side of a beautiful lake, smiling at the two children who had just entered the place._

_"Man, Sora, how come when we asked you to come you didn't, but when it's Riku who asked you to, you willingly obliged?" Axel said in mock annoyance._

_"Hiks, my sister chose Riku over her own twin," Roxie added dramatically._

_"It-it's not like that," the young Sora replied in panic. "it's... uh..."_

_Riku laughed and ruffled Sora's hair affectionately. "You know, you don't have to explain it to them... __unless...__ you __don't need me anymore__?"__ He added in a mock hurt tone. _

_Oblivious of the three children __who we__re toying with her, she shook her head frantically. "No- no! I—I... ugh... I can't explain it! You all are important to me... I- I" _

_"We're only joking, Sora. We knew..." Riku said, in attempt to calm her. _

_"You should see what you looked like, you know," Roxie chimed in._

_"Yep, priceless," Axel added. _

_The three children laughed as Sora pouted cutely at them._

- - -

'pip... pip... pip...'

- - -

_An __eleven-year-old__ Sora__ sat on the riverbank, both leg__s__ w__ere__ brought up to her chest as she stared at the clear river that__ wa__s flowing calmly in front of her. _

_"__What__ are you doing here?" a familiar voice came from behind her._

_She didn't even have to look up to __know who it was as the owner of the voice plopped down beside her. _

_"...Thinking..." she replied._

_"You?! Thinking?! Okay, something's not right..." a twelve-year-old Riku replied, after struggling to hold back the laughter threatening to erupt from him._

_Sora just gave a weak angry glare at Riku before staring blankly back to the river._

_"Sora? What happened?"_

_"...I was just wondering... if-?" she paused, deciding against it._

_"Sora?" _

_".. No, it's nothing. I was just thinking..." She paused again. 'thinking about... this strange feeling that I felt when I'm with you... but, you'll probably laugh at that, won't you...,' she added silently._

_"You're weird, you know..." Riku sighed. "But I guess that's why we're friends," He added with a grin._

_"Yep, 'cause you're weird too," Sora replied cheekily_

_"Touché"_

_Both of them laughed happily before settling in a comforting silence._

_"Sora! Riku! There you are! Should've known you guys would be together," Axel's voice was heard from the road above them._

_"Roxie's been looking for you," He added as he slide__s__ down on the grass to reach the riverbank where the two __kids__ were sitting._

_"I'm here, Axel. Don't go running off like that!" Roxie shouted from the previous place that Axel occupied._

_"__A__t least help a little," She added as she __slides__ down on the grass, following Axel's previous movement._

_"Roxie, you were looking for us?" Riku asked._

_"Yeah, I brought you guys this," she showed off two sky-blue colored ice cream._

_"This is--?" _

_"Yep, Sea-salt ice cream__ It's that new flavor everyone's talking about," Axel chimed in happily._

_"Thanks," Riku took the ice creams from Roxie's hand and gave one to Sora._

_The four of them sat on the riverbank, enjoying each other's company as they ate their ice creams in silence._

_"You know... I've been thinking..." Axel suddenly mumbled._

_"You too? Man, first it's Sora, now you... The __world is__ turning upside down. They actually CAN think!" Riku mocked._

_"Shut up, old guy," Axel replied, earning a punch from Riku. "Ouch! Hey! Anyway, as I was saying... I'__ve been thinking... this feeling... being together, eating ice cream... is this what happiness is like?"_

_"You're only happy when you're eating,__ aren't__ you?" Roxie replied coldly._

_"Hey! I'm only saying what I felt!" Axel protested. "Besides, what I mean is... wouldn't it be nice if we could stay like this... forever?"_

_"That's not possible, is it?" Riku said suddenly. _

_This earned a shocked glare from everyone. "Riku... how could you say that?" Sora asked, tears forming in the corner of her eyes._

_"Eh? That- that's not what I meant," he said in panic. __"You see, we couldn't possibly stay like this forever... It's part of growing up. But, even though so, it doesn't matter, does it? 'Cause what matters most is not how much we see each other... but how much we think of each other... that's why memories like this are important to us..."_ ()

_"Heh, I'm impressed," Axel said. "I never thought you're a romantic type of a guy."_

_"Shut up," Riku mumbled as a pink hue started to taint his pale cheeks._

_"... What matters is how much we think of each other..." Sora w__hispered silently to herself._

- - -

'pip... piiiip... piiiiip'

- - -

_A thirteen-year-old Sora laid on the porch of Riku's house, watching the cloud passed by on the vast blue sky. Riku laid next to her, mimicking her position. Roxie laid on the other side of Sora, with Axel laying __on Roxie's other side_

_The four of them __lay__ beside each other, watching the cloud passed by slowly, content with just their togetherness. After a while though, Axel stood up._

_"I'll go get us something to drink," he said, before he entered Riku's home._

_"I'll go help him," Roxie said after awhile._

_Hence, Sora was left alone with Riku, both of them still were still laid on the porch, bathing in the soft light from the sun as they watched the clouds with a smile on each of their faces._

_"Hey, Sora?" R__iku suddenly asked, standing up._

_"Hm?" _

_After a brief moment of silence, Sora sat up, looking__ at Riku questioningly. However, Riku was no longer at his place._

_"Riku?"_

_"Catch!" Riku suddenly appeared in front of her, throwing her __a yellow star-shaped object at her._

_"Whoa!" she barely caught a hold of the strange object after it bounced around her hand. "What's this?" she questioned._

_"it's a paopu fruit," he replied nonchalantly._

_"Paopu fruit?"_)

_"Yeah, you know, that weird fruit that only grows in this island?" Riku said. "They said that if two people share it, their destinies will be intertwined forever."_

_"Wha-what?" a crimson hue started to taint the tan skin of Sora's cheeks._

_"What? Come on, I know you want to try it," he chuckled._

_"Eh?" _

_Smiling, Riku ruffled her hair affectionately. "It's just a joke. I'll go in to check on Roxie and Axel, a'right? They've been in there for far too long," he added before entering his own home._

_"...The paopu fruit..." Sora mumbled._

_"...wonder what he meant by giving me this," She added silently._

- - -

'pip... piiiippp... piiiiiippppp'

_"Come on, Sora. __Giving up already?__ I know you're stronger than that!"_ ()

'who- who's there?

_"Don't tell me you've forgotten about me? Thanks a lot. I thought you promised to nev__er forget about me again, silly.__"_

'Ri- Riku?'

A blinding flash of light erupted, as I brought my hand to shield my eyes. Slowly, the light dimmed, exposing a blur figure with a smile on its lips, and a pair of aquamarine orbs that engulfed me in the warmness emitted from it.

_"Don't give up, Sora... Live well, for the two of us..."_

'Riku! Wait! Don't go! I've - I've finally remembered everything... I'm so sorry...! Please let me go with you!' I cried, running towards him.

_"No... Please. Don't come with me... don't give up now... Find your happiness. Find your__ own __light__... Promise me you won't come looking for me anytime soon, 'cause if you do, I won't forgive you."_

'But, Ri...'

_"Sora... I'll always__ be__ with you... I'll always watch over you... So please... don't give up now..."_

'Riku...'

_"__Live well, Sora... I know you can do it...__ Remember, inside you; I exist... I live in you..."_

'Ri...'

Slowly, the figure glows, emitting a blinding light from behind it. _"I won't let you die now..."_

'piiiip... piiip... piip... pip.. pip...pip...pip'

Underneath the pale light from the moon that seeps through the small opening of the white curtain, a soft breeze blew...

Strangely, the breeze blew from the room into the midst of the midnight sky, passing through a young brunette who laid helplessly on the hospital bed.

Her soft brown locks was caught by the breeze, fanning it around a little before it gently falls back on her forehead. A drop of tear fell from her eye, running down through her tan cheeks as she slept peacefully on her pure white bed.

_'__Inside you, I exist... I live in you...'_

* * *


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N:** not mine... oh, next will be the last chapter.

* * *

---  
-----  
---- 

"... I thought you said she was okay?!" A voice was heard above me.

_Roxie?_

"She was... but..."another male's voice was heard. It belonged to someone I didn't recognize.

"It was as if her heart was the one..." This time, a female's voice was heard.

"Yes... the heart was a strange thing... it's unpredictable," the previous unknown's voice was heard again.

_What are they talking about? Hearts? _I thought as I felt a headache forming.

"... She's okay now, isn't she?" another familiar voice was heard. _Axel_...

"Yes, she is... something prevented her from drifting to the other side, it seems" the female owner of the voice said again.

"...ugh," I groaned, opening my heavy eyes slowly as I tried to sit up.

"Sora!" Roxie exclaimed, relief was clearly seen on her face. Her cerulean orbs was rimmed with red, it seems she didn't get much rest from the night before.

Scanning around the room, I noticed there were two unknown people standing beside Roxie and Axel. Axel's condition was not much better than Roxie's; his eyes were red too, and his hair was even messier than usual.

Beside him, stood a young man in his mid-twenties, with stormy grey eyes, and shoulder length wavy brown locks. _Again__? What's with the shoulder length hair style?,_ IthoughtA scar lay from his temple and across the bridge of his nose, which destroyed his otherwise perfect feature. The scar, however, suits him in an indescribable way. A lion-shaped chain lay on his chest, subtended with a metal chain that wraps itself around his neck. What surprised me most was that, judging from the white robe and the nametag that says 'Dr. Squall Leonheart', he is a doctor! _A very unique doctor_, I added silently. _What's__ with the leather pants and the leather belts he's wearing__There__ are at least three leather belts that decorate the black leather pants_He also uses black leather boots!_Yes, a very eccentric doctor indeed, _I thought.

Looking at the young woman that stood beside him, I came to a conclusion that she was a nurse, judging from her pure white uniform. Her long cinnamon hair was braided and held in place with a red ribbon. She looked very motherly, with warm green eyes and a kind smile adorning her lips.

"Sora, are you okay?" Roxie asked again after I remained quiet.

"... Yeah..."

"..Sora, what's wrong?" She asked again.

"... Rox, everything... – everything came back to me..." I said slowly, staring blankly at the plain white wall across me.

"...Every- everything? So, you remembered... how – how you got the accident, don't you?" she asked, backing away slowly from me.

"I'm so sorry, Sora! I –! That was---!" She cried suddenly, after I gave a nod in confirmation.

"Its okay, Rox. That was not your fault," I said, looking at her straight in the eye to prove that I meant what I said.

"But if it wasn't for me, then you and Riku would've ---" Roxie paused, biting her lower lip as tears trickled down her chin.

"Rox," Axel walked towards her, wrapped his arms around her shoulder in a protecting gesture.

"...It's not your fault, Rox," I said again, after the pang of jealousy subsided from my heart. "It just shows that me and Riku... we were never meant to be..." I added in a whisper, a lump was formed in my throat as tears burned in my eyes.

"Sora, I'm so sorry..." Roxie cried harder, drops of crystal pure water trickled down her chin harder.

"...It's not your fault... It's not..." I mumbled, tears finally flowed on my cheeks. Closing my eyes tightly, the day it happened came crashing, like a wave, into my mind.

-----

**_One__ and a half year__ had passed since__ we moved into Twilight Town. We have made new friends; Hayner, Pence and Olette. They were fun to hangout with__ and life was great there, but__ we still miss our old friends._**

**_One day, we stayed at home, __unpacking the remaining of our stuff. Well, mine __mostly;__ for Roxie had __finished hers__ long ago. I was always the last to finish things__. Roxie helped me __to unpack__ the boxes that laid messily on my bedroom floor_**

**_"I can't believe we've moved in for almost two years and you still haven't finished unpacking your stuff!" Roxie complained as she opened a box with __'Sora's important stuff'__ labeled on it. "You didn't even unpack your important stuff?!" She screamed unbelievingly but paused__ when she found something that caught her attention __in the box_**

_**"Uhh... Roxie, you don't have to rub it in..."**_

**_"Sora? __What's this__?" she asked, holding out a __broken__ star-shaped keychain in the air._**

_**"Huh?" A younger version of me replied, blushing crimson as my eyes landed on the object held in the air. "That- that! Give it back!" I screamed as I tried to snatch it back from her, but missed as she swiftly dodged it.**_

_**"Nuh-uh. Not until you tell me," Roxie stuck out her tongue at me as I puffed angrily.**_

_**"Fine..." I mumbled. The memories of the day we parted from our beloved Destiny Island came swirling into me.**_

_----_

_"Finally!" The four teens shouted in unison._

_"Whew, that was one heck of a work out," Axel said._

_"... You're pathetic, you know," Roxie replied coldly._

_"Aww, Rox. But I know you love me__ anyway__," Axel grinned, earning a punch from __an__ embarrassed Roxie, before laughter erupt__ed__ from the two of them._

_Sora watched the two of them, shaking her head at their childish behavior, when Riku tapped her shoulder._

_"Ng?" She voiced, turning around to face Riku._

_"...Erm, well, I was thinking... You know, since you told me to keep the necklace, I figured I'll give you something in exchange," He said._

_"Eh? no, you don't have__ to! I didn't mean it like that__" _

_"I know. I just want you to have something in exchange... as a substitute of the necklace," he said. "... and as a substitute of me..." he added silently_

_"..." Sora __opened her mouth but __didn't__ know what to say__ as__a __crimson hue was starting to taint her tan complexion._

_"So, here," Riku said suddenly, taking out a yellow star-shaped key-chain for Sora to see._

_"Is this--?"_

_"Yeah, a Paopu key-chain," he said. "Remember what I told you about the Paopu__—if two people share it, their destinies will be intertwined forever, so here," he added, snapping the Paopu key-chain in two with much ease._

_He handed half of the Paopu to Sora. "As a proxy of the real Paopu," he grinned. "Don't forget about me, 'kay Sora?"_

_Smiling, Sora took half of the Paopu key-chain. "Of course I won't, Silly. I'll never forget you..."_

_----_

**_"That's what happened..." I said__ as I felt the heat starting to rise to my cheeks._**

_**"...wow... Didn't realize Riku was such a romantic guy," Roxie said in awe.**_

**_"__Well__, I've said it, now give it back!" I shouted, attempting to snatch the key-chain from Roxie but failed as she dodged again._**

_**"Catch me if you want it back," She taunted, sticking out her tongue as she ran outside.**_

_**"Roxie!" I screamed, chasing after her**_

**_Roxie ran __outside our house and onto the main part of a busy stree__t.__It was then when she turned to __check on me__ that she missed the flash of light coming from beside her. I shouted her name, and in a sudden surge of energy, I ran towards her, pushing her out of the way of the moving car, and in doing so, I've made myself standing on __the spot where Roxie was just seconds __ago..._**

**_I didn't make it in time to escape as the flash of light from the car came closer. Roxie was shouting my name, but I couldn't __hear anything, or feel anything__... The last image I saw was the Paopu key-chain that __l__ied__ beside me, after it flew from Roxie's hand as I pushed her, crunched into millions of pieces from the impact of connecti__ng with the wheel of the car before everything became dark..._**

-----

Tears trickled harder as I remembered all the painful memories... The forgotten memories that lied dormant until today... The Broken promises and the far-off memories that felt like a dream now...

_I'm so sorry..._

"If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't--" Roxie paused again as she swallowed the lump on her throat.

Wiping the tears away from my eyes, I replied. "It wasn't your fault, Rox. ...I told you... maybe we just weren't meant to be..."

"But he died! He died... because of me..."

"... He lives, Rox. He still lives inside me... Inside us. He lives in our memories, in our heart... and he'll always be a part of us..." I replied as I remembered the things he told me not so long ago.

"...hmm, no wonder," the eccentric doctor suddenly mumbled.

"...?" questioningly, I looked up at him with my teary eyes.

He smiled softly at me. "No wonder he loves you. You're different, just like him..."

"Him?"

"...Riku," he replied.

"You know him?" I asked, surprised that this doctor knows Riku... and he spoke of him as if he knew him well.

"He was my patient. I'm sorry I couldn't save him..."

"It was not anyone's fault... Maybe... it was _his_ destiny... _our_ destiny..." I said.

* * *

"SORA!" 

The door was slammed open, and a panicked looking middle-aged woman entered the room. Her long brown locks were a mess and her eyes were puffy and red, due to the lack of sleep, no doubt.

"Mom?" Roxie and I asked at the same time.

"Sora! Thank God you're okay! I received a phone call from the hospital!" She let out a relieved sigh.

"Mom? But I thought you're out of town? Wasn't there an important business meeting today?" Roxie asked.

"What are you talking about?! Nothing is as important as you guys to me," She replied angrily. "Are you okay, Sora? What happened?"

"... A normal cause of hyperventilation, with a slight heart attack after receiving a shocking news," the eccentric doctor said.

"Shocking news? About what?" She asked.

"... Riku passed away, yesterday..." I mumbled, a lump was formed again in my throat and I have to use all my will force to not cry again.

" Riku? Oh dear, I'm so sorry," She mumbled, walking closer towards my bed. She stroked my hair tenderly, trying to melt the pain away. "...Sora, you remembered him?"

I nodded discreetly. "Yeah, I remembered him... and everything came back to me today... I'm sorry for causing you so much trouble, mom."

"What are you talking about? You're not causing me any trouble, Sora. Just being there and knowing that you're safe makes me happy... I'm also sorry for not having the time to spend with you when you're in need..." She said, smiling as she stroked my hair gently.

"I need a lot to catch up in my office, but now, guess what? I've finally been given the chance to have a two months break to spent time with my cute twins! Come here, Roxie" She motioned with her hand for Roxie to come before hugging both of us tightly.

"I'm sorry for not being a good mother. We'll start over from now on, okay?"

* * *

I watched Mom, Roxie and Axel leave the room as the visiting hours had ended. A feeling of loneliness and a numbing coldness crept on to my heart as I was left alone again in my room. Dr.Squall and the nurse, whom I had learned was Aerith, left long before. 

I sighed again before I prompted to my bed, staring off into the space before a smooth voice startled me and caused me to jump, literally.

"...Hey"

I sat up to find Dr.Squall standing near the door, leaning against the white wall with his arms crossed.

"Huh?"

"..."

That was then that I realized the he was not the talkative type and he rarely starts a conversation. I chuckled silently, before starting the conversation.

"What's wrong, Dr. Squa--?"

"It's _Leon_..." He grumbled.

"Huh? But your nametag says--?"

"...It's _Leon_," he repeated sternly.

_I was trying to be polite, damn it_! "Well, if you rather be called as **Leon Leon**heart, then I have no problem," I smiled sarcastically as annoyance was starting to build inside me.

He blinked in surprised before the corner of his mouth twitched to form a smile. "You really remind me of him," he said.

"You mean, Riku?"

"Yeah..."

"... Well, Dr.Squall, do you mind telling me... about Riku?" I asked hesitatingly.

"...sure... "

"...Just call me Squall," he added as an afterthought.

* * *

_This could be a new step... a new step into a brighter future..._

* * *


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer:** I own only the plot...

**A/N:** the last chapter of the story of Sora's lyf...

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I walked across an ocean of deep green grasses, small stones jutting out in certain places. The crimson leaves rustled around, dancing in the soft autumn breeze.

In my hand, lay pure white roses, brilliantly shining underneath the sunlight. I came up to a tree and sat in front of a large rock that came to about my knees, with a smile on my lips.

"Sorry it took me so long to finally come here..."

I laid the roses in front of the stone watching the contrasting color of the flowers, mocking the black and grey marble-stone. Their petals pressing gently on the gold etchings…as if reading what was written there. I looked down on the gold etchings as well, tracing my fingers on the carvings on the stone.

_'__**Riku Yoake  
** Beloved Son and a dear friend.  
**September 26th 1989 – August 13th 2007**'_

"It's been eight years, huh?" I whispered into the wind. "I'm sorry for not coming sooner...""It's just... it's really hard facing the truth... that I'm the one who... killed you..."I said, fingers still tracing over the cold stone, with tears threatening to leak out. "I'm so sorry, Ri..."

A breeze blew past my cheeks, as if trying to dry the tears that escaped me. I looked up to the stone, a sad smile on my face. "Thanks... I'm sorry. I promised myself to never cry again... and I've promised you that I'd live my life to the fullest, right?" I asked, giving a wide grin as to prove my point.

"Ri, I'm also sorry for not coming here at your funeral..." I said, looking down and staring at the gold carving once again. "I'm scared... I'm afraid to see you lying lifelessly in the coffin... I still can't accept the fact that you..." I paused, biting my lips. "Well, it's been eight years since then," I sighed. "Life goes on, and I have to move on..." "But I promise you this; I'll never forget you, never again... Even now I—"

"Mom! Come on!"

I turned towards the direction of the voice, and a young boy of four-year old, with brown hair, and a bright blue eyes that can be mistaken as aquamarine came running down towards my direction.

"Mom, come on! Let's go home, I'm hungry!" he pulled at my hand.

"Riku!" a male's voice came from afar. "Come here, don't disturb your mom. I'll buy you something, 'kay?"

"Alright, dad!" Riku shouted back. "But you better hurry, mom" he added, looking at me with a cute pout on his childish face.

Ruffling his hair softly, I smiled at him. "Okay, but you better go now. Dad's leaving," I said, before smiling gratefully towards the disappearing figure from a far, chased by the young Riku.

Sighing, I looked back at the stone sitting in front of me. "Yeah, that's my first child; Riku. In honor of someone special to me," I smiled. "You know, even until now, I still wonder..."

"What would've become of us, if I didn't have the accident? How would you be doing? You once told me that you wanted to be a doctor, didn't you? I bet you'd be a very good doctor," I paused, swallowing the building lump in my throat. "You'd be twenty six by now, right? How would you look like? Would we still be together? ...Will—will we have a family of our own?"

"Riku... I— even now... I—" I stuttered, trying to suppress the flowing tears that could no longer be held. A breeze blew, ruffling my now long locks, as if trying to calm me with the warmness it's emitting.

"Ri... I'm so sorry..."

_'Life goes on... you said it yourself... move on, Sora... I don't blame you... maybe it wasn't our destiny...'_

"Ri...?"

The breeze blew away, leaving me alone to wonder whether what I heard was not just my imagination. Smiling, I faced the stone again as I rubbed the remaining tears away. "Yeah, you're right."

"Besides, as you said... what matters most is not how much we see each other... but how much we think of each other,"  
"You still live in me, in my heart and in my treasured memories... I know you're still there for me, watching over me, protecting me wherever I go..." I continued, closing my eyes and putting my hand on my heart.

As I closed my eyes, the image of the stone slowly changed... long silver locks and a tall young man with a black coat, which replaced the dull grey and part of the stone, smiled gently at me. His eyes were covered by the strands of silver, but through it, warmth was emitted...

I opened my eyes in surprise, but what greeted me as I opened my eyes was the same dull-colored grey and black marble-stone. I smiled sadly, watching the autumn breeze playing with the white petals of the roses lying on the stone.

"Mom! Come on! It's been half an hour, let's go home!" a childish voice was heard.

Chuckling lightly, I mumbled towards the stone. "He's just like you; so impatient. I wonder if he's your reincarnation sometimes, you know."

"Well, I'll come here again..." I said. "Soon..."

'I'll be waiting...' a sudden breeze blew again, and I smiled at it.

"I promise," I said, before turning around to make my way to the impatient child yelling my name. Jeez... he's really like you when you were a kid, Riku, I thought, as I ran faster towards him...

------

A hard breeze blew past through me once again, however, causing me to stop at my track. I looked back and as if in epiphany, I smiled.

"... Don't worry, Ri. I'm happy, if that's what you're worried about," I said. "I'll never forget you... and you still hold an important place in my heart... but as I said before, life goes on... and yours..." I stopped, biting my lower lip. "I had to move on... but, Ri... I can assure you that, right now, I'm truly happy with my life..."

"Oh, and so are Axel and Roxie," I added with a smile. "They got married last year... too bad they couldn't come, though... they're on their honeymoon," I chuckled.

The breeze blew softly again, playing with strands of my hair before it went away, blowing past the young Riku who had run up to where I was standing to call me...

"Eh?" he stopped on his track.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"... nothing... it's just the breeze..." he paused, watching the autumn leaves being carried by the wind that passed by. "...it felt so... familiar..."

"...full of warmth, isn't it?" I asked.

"..Yeah..."

Chuckling, I grabbed his hand and walked beside him. "We'll come here again," I said. "I want to introduce you to someone important to me."

"...ung," he nodded, as we walked together to the awaiting figure in front of us with a slight smile adorning his lips.  
_"We'll go together"_

* * *


	14. epilogue

**Disclaimer:** everything is not mine... xcept da plot, of course

**A/N:** the last piece... whew.. finally! XD oh... tis chap is abwt riku's lyf in the hospital... hehehe

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_"Squall!" Riku shouted._

_"...what?" Leon replied grumpily._

_"Can we hurry __with__ the medical check-up today and start the rehab now?" Riku asked in annoyance._

_"What's the rush? You never like__d__ the rehab before."_

_"I still don't. It's stupid, and it hurts. But I heard that if I'm progressing well, they'll let me out of the hospital for awhile," He replied nonchalantly._

_"It's not stupid. You know that you should practice your balance more until we can find the heart donor for you. Your heart is weakening __day __by day and so __is__ your body..." Leon said, concern was well hidden in his voice, but Riku kn__e__w it was there._

_"I know, but I still find it stupid," he said. "I find it stupid that a former ace-player in the basketball team__ is__ now no longer able to jump, to run... and even walk properly..." He added silently, looking down and creating another curtain of silver to shield his eyes... those pure aqua eyes that c__ouldn__'t tell any lies... __were__ probably shining with shame and anger..._

_"Riku..."_

_Shaking his head, he looked up at Leon with a grin on his face. "Fooled you, didn't I?" He asked. "I wouldn't give up now... There are still things I wanna do... A lot of things __I wanna see... wanna experience__..." he added._

_"And so you will," Leon f__lashed one of his rare smiles__. "We'll try our best to f__i__nd a do__n__or for you..."_

_Riku__ grinned wider in response, "I believe in you..."_

_"Why are you so worked up __about__ leaving the__ hospital?" Leon asked one day __when Riku __became__ more and more impatient of leaving the hospital._

_"It's not that I hate this place, on the contrary, I love this place," he began. "And I know that I have to __come back__ here even if I leave the hospital for the weekend."_

_"...then?"_

_"...It's just..." he added hesitantly, "__D__o you remember the girl I told you about?"_

_"Sora?" Leon asked back. "__I couldn't forget even if I want to... __Not with you constantly reminding me," He added __sarcastically._

_Riku chuckled in response. "I guess I do talk about her a lot, huh?"_

_"You tell me."_

_"Well, she...she's co__ming back this week," he said. "__I've lost contact with her for almost three months... and... she's coming back now..."_

_"Aren't you __supposed__ to be happy?"_

_"I am!" he retorted. "I am... but, I just don't know what to say... I mean, we've lost contact for three months... what if – what if she__ has__ found someone new? What if she---__" __he shook his head. "__No__, I d__o__n't even want to think about it."_

_"Riku, this isn't like you..." Leon said. "What happened to that cocky little bastard that used to trouble me every day?"_

_He smirked in reply. "Yeah, I guess it isn't." _

_"Hey Squall?"_

_"Hng?"_

_"Thanks..."_

* * *

_"__Dr. Leon! Riku collapsed!" Aerith entered his office frantically._

_"What?!"_

_"He __h__as been carried back into his room by Dr.Cloud, but--!"_

_The nurse didn't even get a chance to finish her words as Leon had dashed out of his office and into Riku's room._

_-----_

_"Riku!"_

_"...he's been forcing himself," a voice came beside Leon._

_"Cloud..." Leon turned to face him._

_"__He knew his capacity, but he kept__ on forcing himself. Now I wonder whether telling him if he__ progressed well__ he'll be able to leave the hospital for the weekend, was a good idea or not__" Cloud sighed, strands of blond hair fell and covered his face._

_"...That kid... he ha__s__n't got much time..." Leon started, watching Riku's limp body lying helplessly on the hospital bed, his face was even paler than usual._

_"We have to find a don__or, but none suits him so far__..." he continued. "If this continues..."_

_"Leon," Cloud cut__ in. "You mustn't give up... for this boy too." __"He'll make it, I know he will." He added._

_"Yeah, you're rig__ht... he will... we'll make him._

* * *

_"What?! I need to go this weekend!" _

_"Riku, you've collapsed twice in three days. Do you think we'll let you out in this condition?" Leon replied sternly._

_"But I must! Squall, I thought you'd understand!" _

_"...Riku, this is what's best for you..."_

_"Don't tell me what's best for me! I can decide that __for __myself!" Riku shouted before he stormed out of the room._

_Leon sighed as he __watched the angry teen leave his office._

* * *

_Ever since that day, Riku remained quiet. The awaited day soon came, and Riku was sulking on his bed, or so Leon thought as he sat __i__n his office._

_"Dr.Leon! We've got a perfect match! We've found the donor for Riku!" Aerith burst into the room, a big smile plastered on her face._

_"Really? That's good news. I'll go talk to Riku about this," he stood up and left his office._

_He entered Riku's room only to find an empty bed, an open window and a sheet of paper l__ay__ on the empty bed.__ He picked__ up__ the paper and read the scribbled words written on it._

_"I'm sorry, but I have to go...__I __to go..._

_I'll come back as soon as I m__e__et her...__I promise you that._

_I know my time is not much, that's why I have to make what's left of it worthwhile.__I don't want to spend the days with regret,__I'm sorry, Squall._

_"That kid..." Leon gripped the letter tightly and sighed._

_"What should we do, doctor?" Aerith asked worriedly._

* * *

_It was ni__ght when Leon finally found him;__ Riku was standing on the bridge, staring off into the pulsating dark water with such disdain in his __deep aquamarine eyes. _

_"Riku..."_

_"Squall, everything's too late..." he muttered._

_"What's wrong?"_

_Riku turned to look at him, a smile tugging on his lips, but those pure eyes of his showed hurt... and the pain of betrayal. "Nothing... it was just... too late..."_

_"Riku, snap out of it!"_

_"Squall, what do I have to lose?" He questioned, his voice cracking with each words he let out._

_"Riku!" Leon growled angrily._

_"Nothing... that's right..."he said. " I got nothing left to lose..."_

_"Riku, what happened to you?!" Leon walked towards him and grabbed him on the arm, trying to shake Riku out of whatever happened to him._

_Riku pulled his arm away and looked at Leon despondently. "I wondered __about __that myself..." He paused and he walked closer towards the railings of the bridge._

_"Riku...?" Leon asked, slightly worried._

_Leon shouted his name and ran towards him, but__ he was too late. __Riku__ had_

* * *

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_Little did they know... that as Riku lay __on the hospital bed in the state of coma, his soul stood on the bridge alone... __waiting..._

_Repeating the same painful process; a numbing coldness that surrounds him, the darkness that claws __itself__ to him... the painful pressure of water th__at__ robbed the air out of his weakening heart__...Again and again..._

_Until that same girl__ who __has put him in the misery, co__me__s__ and rescue__s__ him out of it... __upon meeting her__, he__ vowed__ that he'll never doubt her again, and he'll watch over her, protect her...__ forever..._

_...even if it meant__ he must let her go and let her find someone new...  
_

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**A/N:** Whew! finally done! the story's over... hahaha.. wonder if it's a good thing or a bad thing... I just love making Riku miserable... XD


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